[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    EDIBLE OIL REGULATORY REFORM ACT

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, the Senate received from the House 
today H.R. 436, the Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act. The bill would 
amend the Oil Production Act of 1990, or OPA-90. As chairman of the 
Environment and Public Works Committee, which has exclusive 
jurisdiction over OPA-90, I support the Senate's passage of H.R. 436 by 
unanimous consent without delay.
  As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee at the time 
the committee reported the bill that became OPA-90, I am well 
acquainted with the statute. As many of us will recall, the Congress 
enacted OPA-90 in the aftermath of the catastrophic Exxon Valdez 
oilspill in Prince William Sound, AK.
  One of the key elements of OPA-90 requires all vessels to demonstrate 
a certain minimum level of financial responsibility to cover the costs 
of cleanup and damages in the event of an oilspill. The intent behind 
this requirement is to ensure that an entity that discharges oil into 
our natural environment pay for the costs and damages arising from the 
spill--not the U.S. taxpayer. This intent remains sound and should 
continue to inform the application of the statute.
  In passing OPA-90, however, Congress did not intend to abandon the 
use of common sense. As the act currently stands, there is no 
distinction made in the financial responsibility requirements for oil-
carrying vessels, regardless of the kind of oil being carried. 
Therefore, a vessel carrying sunflower oil is held to the same 
requirements under OPA-90 as a carrier of deep crude.
  H.R. 436 simply recognizes that vegetable oils and animal fats are 
different from petroleum oils. Most important, they are different in 
ways that make it less likely that a spill of vegetable oil or animal 
fat will cause the same kind of environmental damage as would a 
petroleum oil spill. For example, vegetable oils and animal fats 
contain none of the toxic components of petroleum oil.
  This is not to suggest that a spill of vegetable oil or animal fat 
will have no adverse environmental impacts. Experience has shown to the 
contrary, especially in the case of the Blue Earth River spill in 
Minnesota in the mid-1960's. Here it is important to note that H.R. 436 
would not provide an exemption for carriers of vegetable oil or animal 
fats. They still would be subject to a mandatory minimum financial 
responsibility requirement under OPA-90.
  Thus, H.R. 436 will lend more rationality to the application of OPA-
90 while maintaining the fundamental integrity of the act's purpose and 
approach. I commend my colleagues in the House for recognizing an 
opportunity to improve the implementation of an environmental statute.
  Finally, as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, 
let me say that I appreciate the willingness of all Senators to 
expedite action on this bill. Without unanimous consent, H.R. 436 would 
have been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. My 
review of the bill has convinced me that it is a straightforward, 
commonsense piece of legislation on which committee hearings are 
unnecessary and to which I can lend my support.

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